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Colorado Eagles whistled while they work

Penalties taking their toll

By Adam Dunivan Sports Writer

Posted:
12/05/2012 10:31:40 PM MST

Colorado defenseman Arthur Bidwill, left in front of goalie Kyle Jones, makes a play on a puck against Florida in a recent game at the Budweiser Events Center. The Eagles have struggled defensively in taking the most number of minor penalties in the league, leading to a number of power plays for opponents.
(Steve Stoner)

Put simply, Chris Stewart has a hard time believing it.

The Colorado Eagles head coach, when told that his team had been called for more minor penalties by far than any other squad in the ECHL, had more questions than answers.

"Why is that? Why would that happen? Are we dirty, are we stupid? I don't have an answer for that," he said recently. "If you can pinpoint something to me in a game that shows us doing something that much different than the other team, I'd love to see it.

"I don't get it."

It is an interesting question, but to be fair, the Eagles have simply been involved in games filled with whistles. In fact, Colorado and its opponents through 21 games have logged 1,164 minutes in the sin bin combined -- with the Eagles accounting for a league-most 606 PIMs.

The overall total isn't what is eating at Stewart, because he wants his teams to be physical, aggressive and willing to fight for each other.

It's the 178 minor penalties that have gotten under his skin.

Prior to Wednesday night's slate of games, the Eagles were by far the leaders in penalties taken, with Evansville clocking in at 146 minors through 23 games. Orlando and Greenville are next with 132 (both have played 22 contests), and San Francisco is at 131 through 23 games, also.

That's nearly two more calls per game -- and up to four minutes more on the penalty kill -- than any other team in the ECHL. Last week against Idaho, Stewart expressed his displeasure with the officiating, saying it was 'getting old' and 'absolutely ridiculous'.

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"What are the majority of the calls? Tripping, hooking, holding ... no acts of violence. We must be slower than the other team? I don't buy into that," Stewart said just prior to leaving for that Idaho series. "Not enough discipline?"

Indeed, the stick infractions that are on the ticky-tack side are numerous. Of the 178 calls, 38 have been for hooking, holding or tripping. That number jumps to 65 if you are to include slashing, another stick infraction that implies laziness on defense.

Eagles players have some theories, but they are also conscious of the fact they need to get those calls reduced in any manner possible.

"Some are warranted, and some aren't, but that's the way it goes in hockey. But when you find yourself killing seven-plus a game, you're probably doing something wrong," defenseman Aaron Schneekloth said. "You've got to look at it as an individual and from a team aspect, and change how you're approaching things out there. Specialty teams can win you games and lose you games, and we've got to start winning some instead of giving them away being shorthanded."

Added Trent Daavettila, who has been one of the team's least-penalized players with just 12 PIMs: "I think referees look at stats, too, and they probably see 'oh, this team takes a lot of minors' so right off the bat I think you're on a bad foot once you develop the reputation a little bit.

"You have to make the extra effort not to do anything after the whistle, any of that stuff, and if you need to get back you just put it in the memory bank and save it for throwing a hit later in the game. Or, just moving your feet a bit more as opposed to using your stick for trying to catch up when you're out of position. Just get the feet moving."

The Eagles have that rough-play reputation. With enforcers like Jason Beatty, Cody Sol, Ryan Schnell and Isaac Smeltzer in there causing a ruckus, the team will probably remain at the top of the bad boy's list when things are said and done. And, that's really no surprise as the Eagles have consistently been a league leader in penalty minutes.

But if the team wants to turn things around, surrendering fewer power play opportunities to their foes would be a good start. So far, Colorado has won or been even in the power play count in just nine games -- meaning they've been out-power played in 12 contests.

"Our team is very aggressive, aggressive and strong," defenseman Jake Marto said. "But yeah, there are a few of those penalties we should probably hold back on, some stick penalties where we need to be moving our feet more rather than using our stick. Those are the ones we need to watch out for."

"It can take the flow right out of the game, and it gets guys sometimes too much ice time and others not enough," added Schneekloth, a cog on the PK. "As a team, we have to make a conscious effort of what we're doing out there on the ice. For the most part, (the officials) are doing their best out there, and you have to live with it. You have to make adjustments if he's calling everything on the hands and the stick."

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